Poison (1990)

Inspired by Jean Genet, this enigmatic movie is a trilogy, interweaving three apparently unconnected stories. The first story is "Homo", clearly derived from Genet, about imprisoned thief John Broom (Scott Renderer) who finds himself attracted to another prisoner whom he had known and seen humiliated as a youth at Baton juvenile reform school. He forces the man into an emotional relationship and later rapes him. The present sequences are shot in murky half-light, and the prison seems like a labyrinth of potential destruction. Broom's life in prison is shown, as well as the sex and love between men there, with flashbacks to his life as a boy in the reformatory. We get a glimpse of adolescent boys and their discovery of sexuality and the hierarchies of the "counterfeit world of men among men". It seems like one is coming in and out of a dream in Fontenal Prison.

Next is "Horror", in black and white, and told in the style of 1950s drive-in sci-fi movies. It references the cinematic styles of directors William Castle and Roger Corman, and it frequently borrows ideas from Rod Serling's TV series "The Twilight Zone". It's about scientist Dr. Graves (Larry Maxwell) who isolates the "elixir of human sexuality" and after drinking it is transformed into a hideous, lethally infectious, murdering mutant monster. Because his physical contacts with others spread the condition in this gay movie, it is clearly about the AIDS epidemic.

The last is "Hero", filmed in the style of a TV documentary on suburban life, and is told through a series of interviews. It's about 7 year-old Richie Beacon. His mother Felicia (Edith Meeks), schoolmates, and neighbours relate how he killed his father, then miraculously disappeared. His mother claims Richie leapt from the window sill and just "flew away... out the window". Neighbors say the boy exposed himself, school teachers say the boy was unnatural, the boy was normal, the boy was creative, the boy was a liar. A doctor thinks it is possible Richie had a disease of the genitals. As the story progresses, the layers add up, but it leaves us without answers. Perhaps the story is about how creepy suburban America really is.

"Poison" was an obscure arthouse film until Senator Jessie Helms, a homophobe, objected to the fact that it had been financed in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Helm's tirade had the effect of arousing public curiosity, and since there's no such thing as bad publicity, it won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival and received a quick release to the home video market. The movie specifically references three of Jean Genet's most famous works: "Our Lady of the Flowers", "The Miracle of the Rose", and "The Thief's Journal", all of which were to some extent autobiographical. "Poison" is for the philosophically inclined, is sometimes disturbing, and touches on the maddening effects of suburbia, modern life, civilization, and the human condition. James Bennett composed the incidental music. Todd Haynes wrote the screenplay (derived from Jean Genet) and directed.

Camp (2003)

Basically this film is a gay "Fame". A group of young misfits live it up at Camp Ovation, a musical theater camp in upstate New York. It may not be designed to make kids gay, but it might as well be. All the guys are gay, and the only main female character, Ellen Lucas (Joanna Chilcoat), acts as a communal fag hag to them. While the sports counselor is completely ignored, the students spend all their time in rehearsal for a grueling schedule that involves a new show every two weeks. They train every day in acting, singing, and dancing. Several personal stories come to the fore. Is talented Vlad Baumann (Daniel Letterle) honest in his feelings about Ellen? The movie centers around Vlad, the least interesting character in the film. To stick a probable heterosexual in the middle of an otherwise gay film is an obvious mistake. Will cross-dressing Michael Flores (Robin de Jesus) ever have a relationship with his parents? Washed-up musical playwright and camp counselor Bert Hanley (Don Dixon) is alcoholic and bitter. Fireworks are in store when Fritzi Wagner (Anna Kendrick), who slavishly serves glamour girl Jill Simmons (Alana Allen), is finally told to get a life. And the parents of Jenna Malloran (Tiffany Taylor), whose jaw has been wired shut in a compromise to avoid being sent to "fat camp", learn a valuable lesson at the summer's big end-of-season benefit. The action is punctuated by energetic and very entertaining musical numbers from "Dreamgirls", "Follies", and other shows. These kids have a lot of talent and the musical numbers are the highlights of the film.

This picture is appropriately campy, charming, funny, entertaining, and a tribute to classic musicals. It shows what it means to be a misfit and finally learn to love yourself for who you are. Stephen Trask composed the incidental music. Written and directed by Todd Graff.

Trevor (1994)

This short dark comedy film has a runtime of only 23 minutes. In 1981 Trevor (Brett Barsky) is a young teen living in suburbia. He listens to records, loves Diana Ross and the theater, hangs out with his friends, and goes to the movies. When he hits puberty, everything seems different. He doesn't want to make out with the girls at a party, and he starts to pay more attention to the other boys in his class. Trevor keeps a diary, recording his increasing unhappiness. He sees himself as normal, and is attracted to Pinky Farraday (Jonah Rooney), a popular athlete. Why do we learn Pinky's last name and not Trevor's? Pinky's friendship delights him. The word spreads that he's different, walks like girl, that he's gay. Pinky cuts him off, telling him that he's a weak person. A confused Trevor tries self-imposed shock treatment, then his parents read his diary and call a priest who accuses him of being a pervert. Eventually, Trevor comes to the realization that he's gay. With no one offering any support, Trevor decides to kill himself. With "Endless Love" on his stereo and wondering if people will cry at his funeral, he reaches for a bottle of pills. But help comes in an unexpected form.

"Trevor" tied for an Academy Award in 1995 for Best Short Subject, so it's obviously a good film. Written by James Lecesne and directed by Peggy Rajski

Saved! (2004)

Mary (Jena Malone) is a good Christian girl who goes to American Eagle Christian High School near Baltimore where she has good friends, mainly Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore) and Veronica (Elizabeth Thai), and a perfect Christian boyfriend, Dean (Chad Faust). Her life seems perfect, until the day that she finds out that Dean may be gay. After seeing a vision of Jesus in a pool, she does everything in her power to help him turn straight, including losing her virginity to him. Dean's parents tell her they found gay pornography under his bed and that he is on his way to Mercy House, a Christian "degayification" treatment center. Mary becomes pregnant. It's during her time of need that she becomes real friends with the school's set of misfits, including Cassandra (Eva Amurri), the school's only Jewish girl; Roland (Macaulay Culkin), Hilary Faye's wheelchair-bound brother; and Patrick (Patrick Fugit), the skateboarder son of the school's principal, Pastor Skip (Martin Donovan). Her wealthy former best friend Hilary turns her into a social outcast. The story goes on and on and on and on and ends with Mary and Dean's baby girl being born. Lillian, Patrick, Dean, Roland, Cassandra and Dean's boyfriend Mitch (Kett Turton) enter the hospital room to offer her their support, while Skip waits outside. Mary's voiceover tells us how she went back to believing in a God that loves and helps the ones who love and help others in need. The assembled friends in the room have a photograph of themselves taken.

This teen comedy explores the issues of religion, ostracism, the Christian and homosexual conflict, teen pregnancy, divorce, and disabilities. Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half out of four stars, calling it "a pointed satire in the form of a teen comedy". He and his partner Richard Roeper awarded the film "Two Thumbs Up". Others criticized the film for anti-Christian views. One thing that was agreed upon is the film's third act weakened after its decent first two acts. The narrative starts falling apart visually. Movies are told with the camera, not by a script, and the timing in many of the final scenes is off a bit. Written by Michael Urban and Brian Dannelly, who also directed.

Common Ground (2000)

This made for TV "Showtime" movie contains three short stories dealing with attitudes toward homosexuality in the fictional small town of Homer, Connecticut, over a period of almost half a century. It focuses on the efforts of gays to find "common ground" or respect from the heterosexual majority.

The first, "A Friend of Dorothy's" is set in the 1950s. Dorothy Nelson (Brittany Murphy) joins the US Navy where she meets the Friends of Dorothy, a code name for a group of gay and lesbian sailors. The name comes from Judy Garland's standing as a film icon to many gay and lesbian Americans who grew up before the Stonewall Riots of 1969, and is a reference to her starring role in "The Wizard of Oz". Dorothy meets Billy (Jason Priestley), who takes her to an interracial nightclub that tolerates gay people. However, the NCIS raids the nightclub, and Nelson is among those service members who receive a Section 8 discharge for "sexual perversion". Dorothy returns to Homer in 1954 after leaving the Navy. She wants to be a public school teacher, but her Section 8 discharge prevents her from getting a job. When her homosexuality becomes public knowledge, her mother kicks her out of the house, forcing her to take shelter at a family friend's grocery store. However, the townspeople disapprove of this arrangement, and Nelson becomes homeless. An independent-minded woman named Janet (Helen Shaver) at the local diner defends her against the verbal harassment and advises Nelson to go to the bohemian Greenwich Village, the only place where she might be free to be herself. Written by Paula Vogel.

Second is "M. Roberts" set in 1974, when a closeted gay high school French language teacher, Gil Roberts (Steven Weber), has to decide whether to jeopardize his career in order to help a troubled pupil who has been targeted by homophobic bullies. His student Thomas Tobias (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is on the verge of coming out of the closet, whereas M. Roberts must keep his homosexuality a secret for fear of losing his job. His live-in boyfriend pressures him to set a good example for the students by illustrating the importance of tolerance and justice. Tobias visits a prostitute on the advice of his swimming coach, with the idea that she can help him "become a man", but instead she gives him some good advice about being himself. Tobias asks M. Roberts, "What's it feel like to make love to another man?" Roberts replies, "It's wonderful." Tobias says, "See, that's what I want to learn!" After Tobias is sexually assaulted by bullies and is discovered by Roberts, the teacher comes out to his students and lectures them on the evils of bias-motivated hatred. Tobias graduates from high school and leaves Homer to attend college in the big city. Written by Terrence McNally.

The last, "Andy & Amos", set in 2000, follows the preparations for a gay wedding commitment ceremony. The father Ira (Ed Asner) is planning to lead a protest march against the wedding, while his son Amos (James Le Gros) is nervous about getting married and going against the cultural stereotype of gay men. While protesters gather on the town commons, Amos' father has to choose between long-held prejudices and his love for his son. Thanks to Harvey Fierstein's script that combines sexual politics with humor and believable characters, this is the most successful part of "Common Ground". Ira's gradual realization that his son's monogamous, long-term gay relationship is more conventional than most heterosexual marriages is very well done, with a balance between message and drama that the other stories lack. The film ends on a positive note, with father and son reconciling and the wedding taking place as planned. Written by Harvey Fierstein.

Although the movie is still relevant, the first two segments are more like lectures than stories. Their impact is weakened by clumsy dialogue. Dorothy's mother actually says, "I have no daughter", and the characters are stereotypes. The film's message is an important one: the road to equality is built upon the struggles and sacrifices of past generations. Unfortunately, "Common Ground" is too uneven to deliver that message with the force it deserves. The movie received an R rating from the MPAA for violence, profanity and sexual themes. Donna Deitch directed.

喜宴 (1993)

Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein) and Wei-Tung Gao (Winston Chao) are a gay couple living together in Manhattan. Wei-Tung is in his late 20s, so his Taiwanese parents are eager to see him get married and have children. The first part of the film is madcap comedy. When Wei-Tung's parents hire a dating service he and Simon stall for time by creating impossible demands. Chinese opera singers are always men, so they demand an opera singer and add that she must be very tall, must have two Ph.D.'s and should speak five languages. The service actually locates a 5'9" Chinese woman who sings Western opera, speaks five languages and has a Ph.D. She is very understanding when Wei-Tung explains his dilemma. To defer the suspicions of Wei-Tung's parents, Simon suggests a marriage of convenience between Wei-Tung and Wei-Wei (May Chin), their tenant in need of a green card. Wei-Tung will marry the mainland Chinese woman, but the plan backfires when his parents arrive in the United States to plan his wedding banquet. They insist on an elaborate cross-cultural banquet that will cost $30,000 US. After the banquet, Wei-Wei seduces the drunken Wei-tung, and becomes pregnant. Simon becomes upset when he finds out, and his relationship with Wei-Tung begins to deteriorate.

Wei-Tung tells his mother (Ah Leh Gua) the truth. She is shocked and insists that he not tell his father, who is recovering from a stroke. However, the perceptive father knows more than he is letting on and secretly tells Simon that he knows about their relationship. He accepts Simon as his son as well. Simon receives the Hongbao from Wei-Tung's father, a symbolic admission of their relationship, but Mr. Gao (Sihung Lung) makes him promise not to tell anyone. Without everyone trying to lie to him, he says, he would never have had a grandchild. Wei-Wei makes an appointment to have an abortion, then decides to keep the baby. She asks Simon to stay together with Wei-Tung and be the baby's other father. In the final scene, Wei-Tung's parents prepare to fly home. Mrs. Gao has forged an emotional bond with daughter-in-law Wei-Wei, and Mr. Gao warmly shakes Simon's hand. They board the airplane, leaving the unconventional family to sort itself out.

This co-production between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the United States was written by Neil Peng and Ang Lee, who also directed. Lee later made the gay "Brokeback Mountain", and makes a cameo appearance in this film as a wedding guest attending the banquet. The English titles are "Hsi Yen" and "The Wedding Banquet".

Rites of Passage (1999)

The film begins with two recently escaped convicts approaching a group of campers. One shoots and kills the campers. At a hotel, young lawyer D. J. Farraday (Robert Glen Keith) notices his father Del (Dean Stockwell) with a woman whom he has obviously been having an affair with. D. J. is upset and the two drive to their remote family cabin by a lake to talk things over. What neither expects is that D. J.'s estranged gay brother Campbell "Cam" (Jason Behr) is already there, apparently planning a weekend retreat with his boyfriend. Cam has been out of touch with the family for two years because he had violent arguments with Del regarding Cam's lover. Del had found Cam and his boyfriend, Billy (Andrew Cooper), embracing in the cabin. Del brutally beat Billy, and father and son have not spoken since. Cam says Billy is dead, and blames his father for the loss. The three sit down to air their differences when a pair of strangers, Frank Dabbo (James Remar) and Red (Jaimz Woolvett), arrive at the door, claiming to need help with their car. Red is introduced as Frank's adult son. The mood soon turns confrontational between Frank and Del, threatening to erupt into violence at any moment, especially when it becomes clear that Frank and Cam know each other. It turns out that Frank and Red are escaped convicts who put their lives in danger. Frank is a psychopathic killer who has escaped from prison and has come to retrieve half a million dollars stashed in the nearby woods. The police show up looking for the convicts, things get tense, and in the aftermath it becomes clear that Cam knows the pair and has some sort of entanglement with them. Unexpected twists and turns thicken as this tale unfolds. The nature of the relationship between Frank and the not-so-innocent Cam is revealed.

This thriller has a mixture of feelings: sadness, regret, learning to forgive, and secrets unveiled. You may enjoy it if you are a fan of action and drama. Written and directed by Victor Salva, who based much of the dialogue between Del, D. J. and Cam on conversations he and his own father had while Salva was growing up. The production took 18 days to film. Two versions of the film have been released. A director's cut of the film with commentary by Salva and Behr was released on May 2, 2000 with several deleted scenes which further explain the relationships between the major characters.

Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes (1999)

This film is based on Rainer Werner Fassbinder's play "Tropfen auf heiße Steine". In Germany in the 1970s, Léopold (Bernard Giraudeau), a 50 year old businessman, meets Franz (Malik Zidi), who is 20. He invites him back to his place and a love affair begins. One day, something of little importance leads to a difference of opinion. And from then on, there is no such thing as "we" anymore. The movie is structured in four Acts.

In Act 1 Léopold and Franz meet. Franz is supposed to be meeting his fiancée Anna (Ludivine Sagnier), but tells Léopold he is not sure if he loves Anna, he does not enjoy sex with her, and finds more pleasure in books, theatre and life in general. Léopold asks him if he has ever slept with a man. Franz says he has not, but describes a dream where a man comes into his bedroom in an overcoat and has sex with him. Léopold says he once lived with a woman for seven years, but has always enjoyed sex with men better. They kiss, and Léopold tells Franz to get undressed and get into bed. He then appears in an overcoat ready to re-enact Franz's dream.

Act 2 begins six months later. Léopold is living happily with Franz, who stays at home while Léopold goes on business trips. When Léopold returns, Franz tends to him and has become very passive. Léopold has become domineering. The two men argue a lot and Franz worries about Léopold leaving him, but they still have a satisfying sexual relationship. One night, a sad Léopold says he believes he has driven one of his customers to commit suicide. Franz, unsure how to comfort Léopold, seduces him, and they perform the role-play from their first night together, this time with roles reversed.

In Act 3 Franz and Léopold are still enjoying sex together but the animosity between them is growing. Franz threatens to leave, but does not go through with it. When Léopold is away on business, Franz is bored and depressed. He finds a gun and imagines shooting himself. One day Anna visits and sees how unhappy he is. She tells him that she still loves him and wants to be with him. They kiss, and Franz acts out the "man in the overcoat" fantasy with her.

In Act 4 Franz and Anna have been sleeping together in Léopold's apartment for two days. Although he still loves Léopold, Franz agrees that he and Anna should leave. Léopold returns from work and finds them packing. Anna tells him that Franz is leaving, but Léopold just laughs and tells Franz to get them some coffee. Léopold's ex-girlfriend Véra (Anna Levine) arrives and Léopold says she is a male-to-female transsexual. Véra is still in love with Léopold. He then tells them that Véra enjoys being tied up, and that Franz likes it too. Léopold starts ordering the two women about. They are excited and do whatever he wants. Franz is disgusted. Léopold tells him that although he does not need Franz, Franz needs him. When Léopold and the women go to the bedroom, Franz goes to join them but changes his mind. In the bedroom, Véra realises that they do not need her and leaves. She finds Franz lying on the floor crying. She tells him that she is Léopold's "creature", that after he stopped desiring her, she had a sex change operation for him. It worked for a while but Léopold eventually left Véra. Franz tells her she is still beautiful and despite the fact they both love Léopold, she suggests that they get together. Franz tells her that it is too late. He has taken some poison and is dying. He says that he is Léopold's creature too. Franz dies. When Véra tells Léopold, he seems unconcerned. Anna is shocked and upset, but when Léopold tells her to get back into bed, she does. Léopold asks Véra to join them in bed, telling her that although he does not need her, she needs him.

This brightly coloured sex fable was written by François Ozon from Rainer Werner Fassbinder's play. The soundtrack features music from Françoise Hardy, Gustav Mahler, Giuseppe Verdi, George Frideric Handel, and Tony Holiday. François Ozon directed. In French with English subtitles, the English title is "Water Drops on Burning Rocks".

Quinceañera (2006)

In Echo Park, Los Angeles, Hispanic teenager Eileen May Garcia (Alicia Sixtos) has a fifteen years old party. Her cousin Magdalena (Emily Rios) is fourteen years old and will be the next in the family to celebrate the "quinceañera". Her father runs a storefront church and cannot afford an expensive party, so Magdalena will wear her cousin's dress and dreams of arriving in a limousine like Eileen did. However, her dreams are shattered when she finds that she is pregnant by her boyfriend Herman (J. R. Cruz), in spite of being virgin. Her father kicks her out and she moves in with her elderly great-uncle Tomas Alvarez (Chalo Gonzales), and his troublemaker gay nephew Carlos (Jesse Garcia). Tomas makes his living by selling champurrado, a Mexican hot drink, in the street. Carlos works at a car wash and has been disowned by his parents because he is gay. He disapproves of Magdalena's arrival. The house is on land that was recently bought by a rich older white gay couple, the beginning of gentrification in the neighborhood. Worlds collide when they become entangled in the lives of their tenants. Gary (David W. Ross) and James (Jason L. Wood) invite Carlos to their housewarming party and seduce him. Carlos begins an affair with one of them, and when the other finds out, Tomas, Carlos, and Magdalena are evicted from their home. Magdalena tries to find them a home, and Carlos looks for a better job so that he can support them while Magdalena finishes school. Tomas has a heart attack and later dies. This results in a reunion between Magdalena and her mother, who takes Magdalena to a doctor. The doctor confirms that Magdalena's hymen is intact, and that pregnancy without sexual intercourse is possible. Magdalena reconciles with her father at Tomas' funeral, and the film ends with Magdalena's quinceañera, with everything she dreams of.

This movie deals with two young Hispanic cousins who become estranged from their families: Magdalena due to her pregnancy and Carlos due to his gay sexuality. Written and directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland. The English (UK) title is "Echo Park, L.A.". In English with some Spanish.

The History Boys (2006)

The film is set in Cutlers' Grammar School, a boys' school in Sheffield in 1983. Eight boys have recently obtained the school's highest ever A-level scores and are hoping to enter Oxford or Cambridge, taking a seventh-term entrance exam in History. The General Studies teacher, known by his nickname "Hector" (Richard Griffiths) works alongside deputy head and regular History teacher, Mrs. Lintott (Frances de la Tour). The headmaster, Felix (Clive Merrison), hires young contract teacher Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore) to assist Hector and Mrs Lintott to prepare the boys for the Oxbridge entrance exams. Irwin's style is to put a spin on their historical analysis, and value originality above objective truth. Hector offers some of his students rides home on his motorcycle and fondles his passengers. The boys laugh off their teacher's advances and continue to take turns riding home on the back of his bike. Hector gets in trouble when he is reported by a crossing guard witness. The headmaster orders Hector to retire early, and also that Hector and Irwin share a class.

The boys receive their results and they have all gained Oxbridge places, except for the group's sportsman, Rudge (Russell Tovey). At the end of the term the students prepare to leave school, and Hector is killed while riding with Irwin on his motorcycle. The movie ends with a series of moments involving Hector, leading up to when a photograph of the entire class was taken at Fountains Abbey, a scene from earlier in the film. The photo fills the entire screen, and the closing credits are shown over the photo.

I've left out the gay sex parts with the boys because it is very complicated. This witty film with deadpan humour is a homophobic-free exploration of the joys of teaching and learning, in an atmosphere of adolescent homoeroticism. It was adapted by Alan Bennett from his play of the same name, which won the 2005 Olivier Award for Best New Play and the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play. Directed by Nicholas Hytner, who directed the original stage production at the Royal National Theatre in London, it features the original cast of the play. The students are played by: Samuel Anderson, Samuel Barnett, Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Sacha Dhawan, Andrew Knott, Jamie Parker, and Russell Tovey.